


Coffee at the Beginning of Revelations

by HalocusGrim



Category: Devilman (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Falling In Love, M/M, Melancholy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 06:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13452618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalocusGrim/pseuds/HalocusGrim
Summary: (Based off of the Devilman: Crybaby anime)Akira and Ryo share a cup of coffee and confess their feelings for each other, come what may.





	Coffee at the Beginning of Revelations

The blue-eyed boy glanced up at the menu, as if his order wasn’t already spilling out of his mouth. “Tuxedo mocha half-caf grande frappucino made with whole milk, no whip and--”

Akira’s smile grew as the boy rambled through his order. “And caramel drizzle up the insides of the cup?”

The other boy looked surprised for a second. “Yes! How did you know?”

“The Asuka Special!” Akira’s smile widened into a grin.

“The Asuka…? I haven’t ordered it that much, have I?”

“Only enough times for me to memorize it, Ryo.” Akira laughed. “I’ll bring it out to you once it’s ready.”

“And the cost?”

“Oh, uh...don’t worry about it.” 

Ryo cocked his head slightly, then a small smile crossed his lips. “Thanks, Akira.” Ryo turned on his heel and found a seat in his usual corner. Akira watched him go, not realizing he was staring until Miki elbowed him gently.

“Weird kid, right?” Miki whispered to Akira.

“Weird? N-no, I don’t think so,” Akira stammered back.

“He comes in here wearing designer clothes, with his fancy bag and his fancy laptop, ordering the same complex drink every day. Who is he?”

“Ryo Asuka. He’s...a friend.”

Miki stared hard at Akira. “Friend? What kind of friend?”

But Akira was already steaming the milk, drowning out Miki’s question. She rolled her eyes and got back to work. Truth be told, Ryo was Akira’s friend, but Akira also had a fascination with him. There was an energy that Ryo put out, an intense aura that Akira felt drawn to for some reason.

Since Ryo had returned from abroad, he’d taken Akira on a whirlwind of activities. Weird parties, strange and fascinating trips. Akira felt compelled to follow Ryo, no matter what danger awaited them. The last party they went to, some aggressive guys tried to attack Ryo.

Akira floored them all. Then went home sobbing. His adoptive parents tried to figure out what was wrong, but the best he could do is mumble “girl problems” and then lock himself in his room.

Akira looked up at Ryo across the cafe and immediately their gaze locked. Akira froze in that moment, then looked away in embarrassment. As he finished up Ryo’s drink, he could feel Ryo’s eyes lingering on him for a while longer. A chill ran up his spine, a strange and yet not unpleasant sensation.

Akira walked over to the other side of the cafe, cup and saucer in hand. He laid it down with a slight clinking sound on the table in front of Ryo. Not looking up from his laptop screen, Ryo mumbled a thank you.

“So…” Akira began. “You caught me towards the end of my shift this time. I’ll be off in just a few minutes.”

“I know,” Ryo said, looking up at Akira. “I was hoping...we could share a drink together.”

“Oh!” Akira couldn’t help showing the surprise on his face, and Ryo chuckled.

“If that’s alright?”

“No, no, of course it is! I just didn’t…” Akira blushed, not sure what he was going to say. “I’m...I need to go back to work, there’s customers…” Akira waved a hand toward the counter, currently devoid of patrons. “But...yes. Yeah, I’d like that.”

“I’d like that too.”

The next half an hour went by in a blur, as Akira tried to avoid looking at Ryo. He was incredibly nervous and couldn’t figure out why. They were friends! Why should hanging out after work fill Akira with dread? But...it did. Ryo always wanted to go on some adventure, they never just...sat and talked. Something felt different. Before he knew it, his time was up. He slowly made himself a simple drink and joined Ryo, sitting across from him.

They sat in silence for a while, as Ryo typed away and Akira nervously sipped his coffee. Finally, with a swift motion, Ryo closed his laptop and stowed it in his leather bag. He picked up his cup and took a drink, then looked across the table at Akira.

“Are you nervous?” Ryo asked quietly, cradling his drink.

“A...a little, yeah,” Akira responded.

Ryo gave a small smile. “Why?”

“I dunno, really. It’s not like we haven’t spent time together before, but this feels...different somehow.”

“I guess it is, but at the same time, it’s how it has always been.”

The shop was beginning to clear out at this point, as closing time neared.

“Akira, I..." Ryo, in a rare case of nerves, stumbled trying to form the words. "I...care about you.”

Akira could feel the heat rising in his face as his eyes widened. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I think you’re...special.” Ryo adjusted in his seat slightly, clearly not sure what to say next. “I feel connected to you in a way I can’t explain. Like there’s a bond between us, that’s been there for a long time. You’re so unlike me, a pure soul, where I’m....” Ryo trailed off, staring into his drink.

Akira didn’t know what to say. He felt the same way. He did feel a bond to Ryo, something he couldn’t explain. He wanted to reach out to Ryo, tell him that, but the words died in his throat. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Miki.

“Akira...we’re closing up. Unless you’re going to help, I have to kick you two out,” She grinned.

Akira stared at her blankly for a second, then smiled back. “Okay, okay, we’re going!” Akira rose from his seat, with Ryo following shortly after, and the two of them left together.

In the brisk, early evening air, Ryo and Akira stood outside the cafe, not looking at each other. There was silence as a breeze blew past them.

“Ryo, I…” Akira began, shakily. “I...I think there’s a park this way where we can talk.”

They trudged down the sidewalk, side by side, Akira trying to express his feelings and failing, several times over. Finally, fed up with himself, he stopped.

“I feel the same way!” Akira blurted out. Ryo glanced at Akira, a look of surprise on his face. “You make me feel...different. And weird. You make me feel like a different person, able to do things I couldn’t do before. When I’m with you I feel bold, dangerous, like...like I could drag you into the storeroom and have sex with you on the spot.”

Ryo pushed up against Akira, his hand brushing up Akira’s arm. “Why don’t you?” he breathed.

Akira shrank back slightly. “I’m...not that person.”

“But you could be. You said it yourself.”

“I know, but…” Akira started walking again, and Ryo followed. “...Do you remember that party we went to, where those dudes tried to beat you up?”

“Yes. You defended me.”

“Then I started crying. You thought I was crying for them, but actually, I was crying for myself.”

A look of confusion crossed Ryo’s face. “For yourself? Why?”

“I felt like I had lost something. I promised I wouldn’t hurt anyone, and yet in an instant, when it came down to instinct, I had.”

Ryo smiled, a warm, genuine smile. “You were protecting me, Akira. What would have happened if you had done nothing? I could have been hospitalized, or worse!”

“Yeah...you’re right.” By this time they had arrived at the park, but Akira hardly noticed the brilliant sunset in front of them. He sat down on a park bench, and Ryo settled down next to him. Gently, Ryo placed his palm on Akira’s, interlacing their fingers. Akira felt a warmth spread through him as he realized he was blushing again. “Ryo...I…”

“I understand what you mean, Akira. I’m sorry I put you in that position, but I’m thankful you were there.”

“I...I’m glad I was there, too. I’m glad I could protect you.” A moment of silence. “I feel like I’m walking down a path with you, and this path is full of danger, tragedy, and ruin. And no matter what I do, I can’t leave this path.”

“Why not?”

“Because...you’re on it, Ryo. You’re the one who pulled me down this path, and there’s no way I could leave it...and you. And maybe someday, we can leave it together, but that’s the only way I’m diverging from this path. With you.”

“Akira, you d--” Ryo’s words were cut off as Akira kissed him. Ryo pulled Akira close, living in that moment.

Of course, they weren’t alone in that moment, and whoever saw them would spread the news like wildfire the next day. Akira would come under fire from his classmates, he would lose friends for daring to fall in love with a boy. But every day, when he felt beaten up and abandoned, Ryo would be there, to hold his hand, to fill him with love.

And for Akira, that was enough.


End file.
